You are in a relationship together, and you’re sure you love each other. You both consider moving in together and you think you are ready for this next step. It’s a whole new world, and that whole new world ends many relationships in the first week. Some of you may have heard the story of the man that divorced his wife the first morning together because she held the toothpaste tube wrong.
These are some tips that if you follow, will make moving in together with your partner a breeze:
CLEAN UP
Clean up!!! You both should do your share; no one should be the designated housekeeper whether one person is a housewife or house husband. Learn what tasks your partner likes to do, and your likes and dislikes will align if you’re fortunate. If not, here’s where you’re going to have to compromise. You better start getting used to compromise if you’re not used to that so your relationship can thank you for it.
PERSONAL SPACE
Having your personal space is vital. It will be best to have your own little corner within your household. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate thing, just a quiet space that you can be alone. It is important to have your spot, whether it’s a corner with your favourite chair or a workspace decorated to fit your personal style. It could also be a room that you can go to be alone sometimes that your partner understands that when you’re there, you want to be alone.
DECORATING STYLES
When it comes to decorating your home, the two of you may have opposite tastes. If that is the case, it’s not the end of the world, I promise you. Proper interaction here comes into play. Discuss the couch, the most underrated furniture piece. It’s where you and your spouse will spend the most collective time in addition to the bed, so you both should agree on its style and level of comfort. Beyond that, openly discuss together how to integrate pieces of your own unique styles, expectations of cleanliness and furniture budget. This will help moving in become a breeze.
COMMUNICATE
Communication is the basis of your relationship, whether you and your other half live together or not. Speak about IT. Whatever it is, you should feel comfortable enough to talk with your boyfriend or spouse openly about what is on your mind: the good, the bad, the large, the small, talk about it. When you two consider moving in together, communication plays a key role. Who handles the bills? Who is taking out the garbage? Who purchases groceries? Who’s wiping these countertops off?
Communication doesn’t have to focus strictly on the mundane logistics of everyday life. Tell them before they walk out the door if you think they look very good. If slamming the same drawer or door shut each morning drives you crazy, tell them. Your partners can be a lot of things, but typically being a mind reader is not on their skill set. Stop sending hints and spell it out for them.
STORAGE IS KEY
Having the correct storage for each room will make it so much easier to live together. Take the time to figure out the best thing that works. How can you best store your makeup in the bathroom, for example, so that it is out of its way but fully functional for you? Oh, and praise Jesus, space in the closet. With who is hanging what where and who gets what drawers, get creative. For each couple, this will look distinct as floor plans differ substantially.
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
Do you know how couples move in together in movies, both of them shine in cute outfits as they gracefully carry in cardboard boxes with the sun hitting their face at the perfect angle and the music at the right volume in the background?
Yeah, you should know that’s all stage, moving, in reality, is a huge pain, before you pack up and move, you should know these things.
Although you may not wake up in your underwear giggling every day for a full breakfast spread and chase each other around, having your partner as your roommate is really one of the coolest things in life. Take the time, through a new lens, to get to know your partner and appreciate the values and lessons it brings to your relationship.
NIGHT TALKS
You woke up late, and your boss was breathing down your neck; basically, you’re having a fairly crappy day so inevitably, because they didn’t pay a bill, you come home and unleash your partner and you guys get into a full-blown fight.
Let’s be serious. You’re not angry with them. You’re angry because you’ve had a less than a great day and you take it out on them because they’re the easiest target.
Whatever is going on between the two of you before you place your head on the pillow, talk it out. Going to bed will not only leave you tossing and turning without addressing the problem at hand, but it will go on and on. Squash it, sit up and carry on. I am a strong believer in positive and bad energy, and it is not a good idea to bring any harmful energy into the bedroom.
As you tell the bad energy to stay far away, share love and light…
